UC medical staff strike statewide

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Shannon Hartman, a medical assistant for the University of California, Davis Medical system in Carmichael, joined hundreds of other UC medical workers picketing the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Calif., Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

University of California medical center workers in San Francisco and several other cities statewide began a two-day strike Tuesday.

The strike, organized by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, started at medical facilities at UC San Francisco, UC Davis, UCLA, UC Irvine and UC San Diego, union officials said.

Employees represented by AFSCME include respiratory therapists, nursing aides, radiologists, MRI technologists and various technicians, according to the union.

University officials say the strike has already caused the postponement of dozens of important surgeries, including five at UCSF for children with complex heart conditions and 12 pediatric chemotherapy infusions.

The union said it plans to picket at UCSF’s Parnassus Campus from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday.